State Briefs

Crews search property in Ark. for missing woman

TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Authorities in western Arkansas are searching for the remains of a Tulsa woman who has been missing for more than 35 years.

Franklin County Sheriff Anthony Boen says his office began looking into the Shirley Banning case after they were contacted by the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office several weeks ago.

Tulsa television station KOTV reports that the search is centered on a vacant homestead on Arkansas 23 south of Ozark.

Boen says cadaver dogs are assisting in the search.

Banning was last seen on May 23, 1975. No one has been arrested in her disappearance.

Batesville students injured in bus wreck

NORTH LITTLE ROCK (AP) - Authorities say at least five students from the Batesville area were injured when two school buses collided in North Little Rock.

Fire Department Battalion Chief Phil Pounders says two Batesville School District buses were involved in the crash at about 9 a.m. Tuesday on southbound U.S. 67/167. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports that the students were en route to the Arkansas State Capitol for a field trip.

Authorities say the wreck happened when one school bus slowed for traffic and one traveling behind it didn't stop in time.

Emergency officials say at least five students from the two buses were taken to Arkansas Children's Hospital. Pounders says about seven students suffered injuries described as "aches and pains."

Pounders says the students were between 13 and 15 years old.

Former De Queen parks director charged with theft

De QUEEN (AP) - Prosecutors have filed two additional theft charges against a former parks director in De Queen accused of stealing money from a regional softball program.

Karen Atkins already faced felony theft charges after prosecutors accused her last year of taking money that was intended for the American Red Cross. Prosecutors say Atkins taught CPR and lifeguard classes and did not pay the required fees to the American Red Cross.

Prosecutor Bryan Chesshir announced the new charges Monday. He says Atkins allegedly misappropriated nearly $8,000 from the city's sports programs.

Atkins' attorney, Mickey Buchanan, says the new charges emerged after a state audit was released April 5.

Buchanan tells the Texarkana Gazette that a pretrial hearing on the charges will be Aug. 1 with a trial date set for Aug. 21.

Investigators probe suspected arson cases in Dyess

DYESS (AP) - State and federal investigators are looking into a string of fires that have destroyed homes in Johnny Cash's hometown of Dyess.

The Jonesboro Sun reports that four vacant homes have burned since February in the Mississippi County town. Sheriff's department investigator Robb Rounsavall says agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have visited Dyess, along with representatives from the state fire marshal's office.

Rounsavall says investigators suspect arson, but they're still working to gather evidence to prove that.

The first fire broke out at a home on Oak Street on Feb. 24. Deputy Deadrick Colley says witnesses reported seeing a red Ford Mustang speed away shortly before the house went up in flames. Anyone with information is asked to call the Mississippi County Sheriff's Department.

Ex-probation officer pleads guilty to extortion charge

LITTLE ROCK (AP) - A former probation officer in Lee County has pleaded guilty to an extortion charge that came about as part of a wide-ranging law enforcement corruption investigation in east Arkansas.

Federal prosecutors said Tuesday that 38-year-old Roxanne Davis of Wynne pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Leon Holmes.

Davis was accused of accepting cash from a man on parole for first-degree murder. Investigators learned of the payments after they tapped the parolee's phone. She was also accused of warning the parolee, Torrence Turner, that the FBI looked into his background. Prosecutors say the warning enabled Turner to hide drug trafficking he was allegedly involved in.

Sentencing will be set later. Davis could get up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Little Rock's Peabody changing to Marriott

LITTLE ROCK (AP) - One of the major riverfront hotels in downtown Little Rock is changing its name and will undergo a major renovation.

A ceremony is set for Wednesday to formally convert the Peabody hotel to a Marriott, which will be run by an Atlanta-based hotel group that has promised a $16 million renovation to the 18-story structure.

The hotel's history includes a number of name changes. It was the Camelot and then the Excelsior before taking on the Peabody name in 2002. The hotel is owned by the city and leased out. It is attached to the Statehouse Convention Center and is complemented by the Doubletree, the Capital Hotel and other downtown properties.

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State Briefs

Authorities in western Arkansas are searching for the remains of a Tulsa woman who has been missing for more than 35 years.